Outrunning Demons
by Hatake Kai
Summary: Kakashi is incapacitated for a while so the young Squad Seven is paired with a strange young woman that seems to know a lot more than she is saying. And what is it that she has against Kakashi and the rest of the village? Set before the chunin exams after the Land of Waves mission. Currently being worked on to be updated.
1. Prologue

Synopsis: Kakashi is incapacitated for a while so the young Squad Seven is paired with a strange young woman that seems to know a lot more than she is saying. And what is it that she has against Kakashi and the rest of the village? (After The Land of Waves but before the Chunin Exams and maybe beyond)

This is not a self insert story, but a story based on an OC character that I made for a Roleplay years ago... Which I ended up changing my username on here to cause it was something better than KyosGirl... Which sadly was something 12 year old me was proud of...?

Prologue

I was standing outside the hospital finishing a cigarette when I saw him for the first time in months; being carried by two boys that were closely followed by a young girl that was freaking out. As they came closer I saw that, though they were drenched, they were covered in blood and were pretty bruised. The girl then ran ahead to got some of the nurses and doctors to come; so I hid away on a ledge, my ledge, to watch. I must have been several minutes before He was loaded on a stretcher and brought in along with the children. As they entered I opened the window, stubbed the cigarette to finish later, and went down the hall to find out what He was up to this time around. _Kakashi, what are you planning now?_

As I walked down the hall most of the people stayed out of my way, avoiding me like the plague. As I turn the corner to where the commotion is, I am stopped. Turning around I see Lord Hokage.

"Hello Hokage-sama." I say with a somewhat antagonistic tone.

The old man looks at me and smiles, "Hello, Kai-chan." Though he says with a tone of acceptance I know that he is only trying to humor me.

"So what has Kakashi done today? Has he killed anyone else?" I say this with a sour taste growing in my mouth and my head begins to pound.

The Hokage seems to know what is happening to me and leads me down the hall, back to my room promising to tell me what he can. As we reach my room, I sit on my bed and Lord Hokage sits opposite of me in the doctors' chair.

"So, what has my dear brother done this time?" I ask more aggressively, trying to ignore my now throbbing head and the growing nausea that is developing.

Lord Hokage just sits there for a moment and sighs, "He has just returned from a mission and is exhausted from using too much chakra."

I laugh at this and go to the bathroom to spit out the saliva gathering in my mouth. After this I return where Lord Hokage hands me a water bottle and continues to speak, this time in a voice you'd hear at a pre-school. "How are you Kai-chan? Are the headaches getting any better?"

I realize the sudden shift in his tone and questioning, and lay on my bed. "I'm fine, I just need out of this hospital. No one even talks to me unless I pester the attendees or when you visit."

Lord Hokage nods. "Well how about if I told you that I have of way of you getting out for the day, though you would have to come back at night. How would you feel about that?"

I sat up and smiled, "Of course!" and knowing that it was probably too good to be true I asked, "So what do you want me to do?"

He smiled and said, "Well, I am now short of qualified jonin and have a team of new genin that now does not have a team leader so I was going to allow you to train them temporarily."

As I jumped up to do a happy dance, I suddenly thought of something. "What about their parents? I'm pretty sure no one wants someone like me training their children."

Lord Hokage finally lit his pipe and replied, "Well, two of them are orphans and the others' parents I have already talked with and they consented so that problem is taken care of."

Sighing I got up to rummage through my drawer to find something. "Well I guess since you put it that way I can't refuse. But does that mean I have to wear this?" I said as I toss my battle-scarred headband on the bed.

He picks it up and says, "It all depends on you. Do you want to be known as the monster; Or as Hatake Kai?"

I am shocked at this and turn around, "What do you think?"

He smiles as he stands to take his leave. "I see. The kids will be meeting tomorrow at the training grounds near the memorial stone. They will not know your name or anything else." Opening the door he adds, "And a new headband will be brought over before you leave. Good night Kai."

And with that I am alone; left with my thoughts and the unfinished half of my cigarette.


	2. Chapter 1

_Thoughts or flashbacks_

Chapter 1

I awoke the next morning to the sound of a nurse coming into my room, rather noisily, to bring me my breakfast. I pretended to be asleep while she took my dishes from the night before along with the pile of clothes I aimlessly had spread across the floor.

When she finally left I got out of bed and started to eat. As I was eating I saw that there was a new headband and a stack of papers on the small desk that held my few books and pictures. I quickly ate the remainder of the meal and when to look at the papers. As I reached for one of the folders, my hand brushed against a frame that was sitting haphazardly on a shelf that fell. I was able to catch it before the glass broke and began to examine the picture:  
><em>It was taken right before the accident. I was 14, just turned Jonin, and had jumped on Kakashi's back after a "surprise attack" and he was laughing as he was pretending to be actually affected by it (which he never did) and falling under my weight.<br>_I put the frame back on the desk but this time on the very top where I hardly ever look.

I then took the papers and saw that they were profiles of the genin on the team. There was a girl, Sakura, who had great chakra control but was weak in just about everything else. The others were two boys, Sasuke and Naruto, the last Uchiha survivor and the holder of the Nine Tailed Fox, respectively. After a quick skim of the papers I changed and left for the training grounds.

I sat smoking my second cigarette of the morning by the memorial stone as I waited for Kakashi's subordinates to come; I had come early to look around the old place. At exactly 8 AM, they had arrived.

When they arrived about 3 yards away from me, they started to look around.

"I wonder who will be working with us while Kakashi-Sensei is in the hospital." I heard a female voice, presumably Sakura's, say.

A quick reply came in the form of a grunt and someone saying, "Whatever, like it matters." This was quickly followed by someone saying enthusiastically, "Who cares as long as they can make me stronger!"

I started to laugh rather loudly at this and that must have alerted to them that I was there because they all soon started to run to me. The moment they saw me would have been comical if I could see it through their eyes. Knowing that they had no clue who I was they must have just seen a 17 year old girl with silvery white in a black tank top and shorts shorts with bandages that started at my nose and covered most of my arms, leaving only my fingers showing and ended about half way down my thighs, smoking a cigarette through a few loosened bandages at my mouth. A moment later I had finished the cigarette and threw it onto the ground; I stood up and turned to them chuckling.

"Hello. You must be Kakashi's team. I'm Kai; I'll be filling in for Kakashi while he is in the hospital."

The team stared at me, and continued to until the boy with dark hair, the Uchiha, said. "And how is it that you are qualified? You don't look much older..."

Before he could finish what he was going to say I moved towards him in what would have looked them as if I had teleported, and appeared behind him with a kunai to his throat. I then whispered in a voice only he could hear, "I may only be seventeen, but I've seen things that will make you skin crawl Uchiha. Things that even would make your brother seem like a cute little puppy scared with his tails between his legs."

I then let him go with a hard push and turned to the others and said, "Oh right subordinates, let's get this clear. I will not take any insolence or horse play." And seeing that Uchiha had stood up and said, "All right kiddies for the first training I have a game for you." I paused and smiled as I looked at their scared expressions I continued, "This game will be similar to Kakashi's bell exercise but with my own twist; all you have to do is cut one of the bandages on my face to reveal it."

They all looked at with the most utterly confused faces I have ever seen. I started to laugh and as I was trying to stop t he blonde looked at me and asked, "Why would we want to do that?"

I turned my face pseudo serious and said, "Because you are now my minions and have to do what I say." I then allowed face to go back to normal and said, "No actually I chose this exercise because I know Kakashi is your sensei and you kids must want to see his face more than anything. Right?" I asked this last question as a test. "So if you have training unmasking me, it might help with Kakashi." _When was the last time I had said his name this many times in under an hour?_

And they passed with the blonde jumping up and down excitedly and the pink haired girl looked torn, sneaking a peak at the dark haired boy to her side. The Uchiha scoffed and said, rather arrogantly, "What has cut a bandage on you have to do with unmasking Kakashi?"

I shook my head, "Well, me and Kakashi at one point in time were close in ability." I then looked at Sasuke, "and Uchiha you need to have better respect for your elders, or those in charge of you in my case."

The blonde, _Naruto I need to remember names, _started to laugh at Sasuke while the bought of us got death glares from the pink haired girl, _Sakura._ I then continued with my explanation. "Okay, well I am really out of practice right now so I'll make this easier for the all of us. I'm going to make ten shadow clones," as I said this ten more of me appeared, "and we'll hide while one of stays her and starts the time." I took out the alarm clock I had sitting by the memorial stone and set it. "You will have till noon to find me and 'take me out'. We will be hidden throughout the village, though by no means is there to be any combat in an area highly populated with civilians."

The three of them nodded and my clone finished setting the alarm clock as the rest of us vanished. _Now time to do some long needed chores._


	3. Chapter 2

_Thoughts or flashbacks_

Chapter 2

_**ONE OF THE KAI'S**_

I walked down the roads of the village as casually as I could. It seemed that most of the people had either not noticed who I was or no longer cared what I did. I turned the corner and entered the Yamanaka flower shop. I walked around looking for some flowers to bring to Kakashi. As I was looking around a young blonde that I assumed to be Inoichi's daughter approached me.

"Do you need help ma'am?" She asked with a kind voice.

I looked at her and smiled under my bandages, "Yes, actually I would. I am looking for something like a bouquet of daisies to bring to a friend that I want to cheer up."

The young girl nodded and started to look around for the daisies. As I stood there bored out of my skull one of the minions, _students not minions,_ (I had to remind myself to not think of them as such), walked by. I quickly hid behind a shelf in hope to not be noticed.

It was the girl that walked in. _Sakura like the flower, especially with that hair color. _I would have laughed at my cleverness if it were not for the fact I was hiding. The girl looked round and then approached Inoichi's daughter.

"Oi, Ino-Pig, have you seen a young girl with long silver hair that was wrapped in bandages?"

Inoichi's daughter, Ino I presume her name was, (_Should have known, she has grown a lot in the last few years.),_ turned around from the flower arrangement she was making for me. "Why should I help you, Bill-Board Brow?" was all she said as she took a small daisy out of the bunch and put it back in with the others.

Sakura looked pissed. Her forehead, though not that big, must be her weak point. I could see the gears in her head working as she tried to calm herself down. "It's a training exercise," she said as she thought, "but if you don't want to help; I guess I need to get back to Sasuke and…"

I never learned what she and Sasuke would do because she must have struck a chord with Ino who blurted out, "She was here earlier but I do not know where she is now. I don't think she left yet." She then turned from the now made bouquet and said, "And stop flaunting that you and Sasuke are on the same team. It's been 2 months and he hasn't asked you out yet. Just face it he is not interested."

Though I was never one to interrupt a fight between rivals, _I grew up with Gai's stupidity for Kami's sake; _I was not up for a fight between two love struck girls, particularly over that snot Uchiha. Doing my best to be stoic and not laugh, I walked up the front desk where my flowers sat and got the girls attention.

"Yo, is it okay if I pick these up later?" I asked with all seriousness.

The girls turned and Ino was the first to react saying that it was alright, while a slip second later I felt a shuriken dig into my arm. I smiled at Sakura as I disappeared in a puff of smoke hearing her say, "Darn a shadow clone."

_One down 9 to go_

_**ANOTHER KAI**_

I shuddered as I felt one of the clones be absorbed back into my chakra stream. _Good job Sakura._ I then turned the street towards the Hokage Monument feeling a bit of pride that it was the girl that got the first me. As I jumped up to the top of Minato's head, I rested. I opened one of my eyes as I saw myself land by men. _Man I seriously need to cut my hair _was my only thought as I saw a bunch of kunai fly after the other me and saw her disappear in smoke.

As I sat up and took out a kunai I saw a blur of black and blue coming at me. As it stopped I saw the eyes, the same eyes that used to look at me without this kind of hostility; those eyes that would protect me and not hurt me. I shook my head to lose those thought I smirked a smirk worthy of any Uchiha and prepared to fight him.

He responded to my smirk with his own. "I know you aren't the real one so just make this easier for all of us and just disappear."

I laughed and replied, "Why should I? If I did then all my fun for the day would be ruined." I then threw a kunai at him. He quickly dodged and threw several shuriken at me, which I blocked with another kunai and lunged at him. He got a good shot at my midsection. I disappeared quickly but not before feeling the pain spread over my stomach.

_And whoever said that it didn't hurt the clones when they vanish, needs to die. Well 7 more me's._

_**BY ICHIRAKU**_

I walked down the road feeling the return of two clones right after one another. _Almost out of time, hope the other me's can get everything down before noon._

I walked down to the ramen stand and entered. Sitting in there was almost too nostalgic, particularly when the cook's daughter, Ayame, recognized me. We knew each other back at the academy and she was always kind to me after I graduated, getting me coupons and the like. She smiled to me and got me a bowl of my favorite ramen.

"This is on the house, Kai-chan." Ayame smiled at me, it felt so weird being called with an honored suffix.

Smiling back at her, not truly knowing what to say to any form of kindness recently, while I was unwrapped my facial bandages to eat. I smiled at her again to convey my thanks and started to eat quickly knowing that at any moment that one of the subordinates could come. As if something wanted me to not finish this bowl, the blonde one, came into the stand. _And just when speaking of the devil could not become more redundant._

I quickly rewrapped my face and tried to signal to Ayame to keep quiet for now. The blonde came into the tent and started talking to Ayame.

"Onee-chan, are there any new coupons?" Naruto asked cheekily.

"No, Naruto-san," Ayame said, she was always a sweet girl, "but I promise to set aside a few next time papa sends out some new ones."

The boy smile and then turned to look at me. The recognition was almost immediate. I winked at him and left, leaving a small tip for Ayame. I left the tent and walked down the road, waving for Naruto to follow until we got to a small training ground. When we got there Naruto charged at me with a kunai in hand. Instead of throwing the kunai, like a normal person would, Naruto continued to charge and jumped at me ready to strike. I jumped to dodge when I felt something grab me from behind. I turned my head and saw two more Naruto's coming at me along with the one on my back. I laughed as I felt the kunai touch my cheek and felt the bandage loosen. Naruto's face broke out in rapture until I vanished.

_6 more!_

_**LAST ME**_

I walked out of the flower shop with the bouquet of daisies. I had accomplished most of the things I had needed by the time I felt the fifth through seventh clones vanish and was on my way to the hospital to deliver my present to Kakashi.

I know that if I was to be told that I would be visiting him in the hospital only a few days ago I would have been pissed; but now I know that without him I may be stuck in my room pretending to sleep and or planning my ultimate escape. Now that he was in there, I could be out and about and I wanted to make up for a scaring him at the very least, but not the rest.

As I walked to the hospital I felt the final me coming back and I jumped up to my window, left the flowers and went back to the training ground knowing that was near where the last me was.

When I arrived at the training ground several kunai flew at me. I dodged them but was assaulted by many more shuriken. I again dodged these and landed by a tree. I looked trying to find them when I felt something land on me. I tried to move by my arms and legs were weighted down and then suddenly I saw Uchiha come at me and cut the strand on closest to my mouth. The bandages fell only seconds before the alarm sounded.

The Naruto's holding me vanished. I walked to the alarm clock and turned it off while putting it in my bag. I turned around to hear the gasp of Sakura as my scarred cheeks were revealed to them.

* * *

><p><strong><em><span>Ok this is the last chapter that I had done for now. I actually like the way this is going and hopefully I can get most of the main conflict in the next few chapters. I hope you like this and please review, they help a lot!<span>_**

**_Love Kai & Co. C:_**


	4. Chapter 3

_Thoughts or flashbacks_

Chapter 3

As I heard Sakura gasp I chuckle and waved it off. Naruto was looking at them as if trying figure out if they meant I was really strong or stupid. Sasuke's face was different; as if he was remembering something.

After an awkward moment of silence I finally spoke up. "I know you guys just got back from an escort mission that turned out harder than what was expected." I took a deep breath trying to figure out what I wanted to say. "Well, many missions turn out that way. Most of them you would think would not be too bad but just one slip up results in death or injury…"

I was interrupted by Naruto asked the one question they all wanted to ask, "Is that where your scars came from?"

"Most of them yes, but some were from my own stupidity." I cleared my throat while thinking, "That is why teamwork is important. You go off by yourself and you get hurt; you're at the mercy of the winner. I was lucky and was rescued but I know that was a fluke…. I know Kakashi can get pretty annoying with all his teamwork talk, but just keep in mind that you need each other."

I had no clue where this talk came from. I started to say something that not all scars were inflictions but medals of Honor and sacrifice. Talking like this reminded me of my youth and Kakashi's lectures after Obito's death._ "In the world of the Shinobi, those that don't follow the rules are deemed as scum. But those who turn their backs on their friends are even worse than scum," _The words of a hero that knew them to be more than true.

Something must have clicked in her head, and Sakura asked the one question that I didn't plan on answering. "How do you know Kakashi-sensei, Kai-sensei? Were you once his student or teammate?

I looked at them while I thought of what to tell them. I stumbled on my words as I said, "Kakashi and I… are… we used to… work together on missions," Then I added more confidently, "and by the way just call me 'Sempai' not 'Sensei'."

They nodded at this and I dismissed them for the day after I told them to come back the next day at the same time.

As they left and I gathered my things I returned to the hospital to finish what I had started before. This time, however, I was eager to see Kakashi. As I got the flowers out of my room and walked to the wing where they kept the battle injured ninja, my anticipation rose. I walked to the door I was informed was where Kakashi was staying and entered.

He was the only one in there. His face still had the mask and he looked like he was sleeping peacefully, that is until I saw him grimace, probably from a bad dream or memory. I walked to his bedside and put the flowers down on the table as I chastised myself for forgetting to get a vase. I sat down in the chair by the bed and watched him.

Sitting there watching him reminded me of the one time I was injured enough to have to spend more than a few hours in the hospital and Kakashi basically camped out in the hospital room taking care of me. My mind suddenly started to play what I remembered of that day.

_I was ten. I had been knocked out in the third round of the Chunin Exams, and was in a comatose state for over a week; not that I could remember much of anything of the exams due to the severe concussion I had sustained while fighting this monstrous Suna Shinobi that ended up slamming me into the coliseum wall. When I awoke I saw Kakashi, he was dozing in the chair. I tried to examine his face to see if I could tell if he was mad at me, he only seemed to convey his emotions in his sleep, but with only his left eye visible, that was not possible. It was still strange to not see his entire upper face and stranger yet when he revealed the out of place Sharingan, even though it had been almost 4 years._

_I realized that I was staring at him and did not know where I was, so I did the most reasonable thing. I tried to get out of the bed. I started to rise and was stopped by a sharp pain in my side. Letting out a loud gasp I slid back down. My gasp must have alarmed Kakashi, because he shot out of the chair and started to look around the room for any signs of danger._

_I slid even further into the bed by the time his gaze settled on me. He had changed a lot after Obito's death and was a lot calmer towards me when I disobeyed his direct orders, but I was terrified what he would do this time. He had explicitly told me not to do the exams, with the promise of bodily harm, before he left for his latest long term mission (he would do long term missions so that he would have more time off after a mission than if he had done shorter ones). He glared at me letting me sit, well lie, as still as possible for God knows how long before he started to smile and chuckle at me._

"_Hey, Scarface." He said, using my old nickname, as his finger traced the 'X' engraved on left cheek._

_I smiled really big at him as I touched my right ribcage and winced as I determined that there were at least two broken. "Hey, Copy-Cat," trying out his new nickname I had heard while he was gone, "what am I doing here?" _

_He glared at me, probably not liking the name very much because he was a dog person. "You are here because you, going against my orders, entered into the Chunin exams, got all the way to the tournament and in the second to last round got knocked out by a rather large Suna Shinobi and got a bad concussion." He ended this explanation with his newly acquired stoic attitude._

_I smiled at Kakashi hoping that I could weasel my way out of whatever punishment he was thinking up for me whenever I got out. "So who all became Chunin?" I just had to know._

_He went through a long list of many of the Villages genin that I knew, even saying that my teammate Hana was promoted. I became depressed thinking that I was the last of my genin team to not pass when I heard him say, "And Hokage-sama said you passed as well."_

_I looked at him to make sure I heard him right. Though Kakashi was glad at my achievements, the loss of Obito, Minato, Rin and Father had made him so fearful of losing me that he spent countless hours trying to make me join the Medical Corps. I ended up asking the probably the stupidest question out of all the many I could have. "Are you mad at me Kashi-nii?"_

_He just looked at me and did his usual I smile. "No, Kai-Chan. Why should I? You held your own." He then stopped and then added, using a tone that he uses when talking about the weather, "Be careful though. I told them to only heal your life threatening wounds so that you would have time to think about not disobeying my direct orders again."_

_He then kissed my forehead and said, "Good job though, I'm proud you did so well."_

I stopped daydreaming when I heard his voice say my name very silently. "Kai-Chan?" He said it almost as if he thought I wasn't really there.

I looked at him and smiled, "Hey, Kashi-nii."

He looked at me for a minute, the whole time smiling like a fool under his mask. I was the first to speak, breaking the very awkward silence that hung like an elephant in the room. "So… I met your team today. Hokage-sama asked me to supervise them while you are in the hospital."

Kakashi nodded, "What kind of training did you do?" You could probably cut the through the awkwardness between us with a knife; actually probably with a senbon needle, it was that bad.

"Well… I made 9 shadow clones and the ten of us scattered throughout the village while your team tracked us down trying to find the real me. I had wrapped myself in bandages that were lying around my room and they had to cut a few strips to 'unmask' me." I laughed as Kakashi realized the ulterior motive behind my training exercise.

"So, you are corrupting more innocent children to try and unmask me." Kakashi laughed.

I smiled innocently. "Why Kashi-nii, you can't honestly believe that was me." I was suddenly remembered the day I had my academy class ambush Kakashi.

_I stood on the playground with the other kids surrounding me. I had just gotten rid of all the fan girls that were bugging Itachi Uchiha and was showing everyone the terrible sketch of the roads surrounding my home that I had made. Kakashi would be arriving home soon and I was suckered into planning this ambush by the other boys in the advanced academy class I was in. It later turned out that Obito had started the ideas for this 'mission' and was too afraid of Kakashi to go through with them so he bribed some of the boys to do it._

_The plan itself was a simple-standard ambush plan with a group of 4 stationed at all sides of the street, while rest of us (10 in total) waited on the roof tops; It only depended upon how well our group of24, 6 and 7-year-old academy students did against my 14-year-old Jonin brother. I, of course, was the leader and my best friend Hana and the top person in the class, Itachi, were my wingmen._

_In short the plan ended badly because Kakashi had gotten Obito to spill the beans on the plans. Kakashi had sent several clones in first and took out my street guards, he had given them candy, and then did the same to my rooftop people using the same method; Hana, Itachi, and I were the only ones not 'taken out'. The day ended with me, utterly defeated, coming home and Kakashi, who at the time still was a jerk, tossing a bag of my favorite candy at me as a peace offering._

_I learned many important things that day. Most important of them was that if you have a plan involving little kids, make sure they have candy beforehand; and never trust someone that is afraid/weaker and in constant contact with your target to not spill the beans. This was also the first time that I worked with my future teammates, Hana and Itachi._

I started to laugh along with Kakashi. It was nice to talk to my brother again.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Well here is the next chapter. This one was really fun to type and I wanted to add the ambush story. Thanks to everyone that has read and like this story so far, ya'll are great!<br>Till next time, Kai H. & Co_**


	5. Chapter 4

_Thoughts or flashbacks_

Chapter 4

I left Kakashi's room in a good mood; the rudeness of the nursing staff as I walked down the hall did not even bother me as I entered my room. I was gathering things I needed for tomorrow when I was 'attacked' by a mind splitting headache.

This was not the first one like this I have had; they seem to be plaguing ever since the incident; though arguably it was the worst I have had up to that point. I collapsed on my bed grabbing for the glass of water by my bed. As I put it to my mouth I realized that it was empty and I screamed in frustration, cursing the worthless nurse that had failed to refill it like she was supposed to.

My screams must have been heard, because a group of people rushed into my room and I felt the calming sensation of a foreign chakra running through my body, numbing the pain from my head. Soon after this I blacked out; visiting the dark void that at one point was my home.

I woke up maybe an hour later. My door was cracked and a nurse was sitting across the hall peeking up from her book every few seconds. I lied in my bed feeling the mental and physical strain that the 'attack' had left me in and sighed. _So close. I was so close to getting out of here. Dammit!_

I started to get out of bed to take a shower when the nurse got up, rather reluctantly, and started to enter my room. "What are you doing?" she asked with a look of annoyance.

I turned to look at her and noticed that she had not been put on watch before and sighed, yet again. "I'm going to take a shower." Exasperated by the complete and utter stupidity of the whole hospital staff, I started to add a little venom to my words. "You can go ask anyone that works here. I take a shower after I have an attack like that to help calm me down."

I must have put an sharper edge to my words because the poor girl, she must have been only 14 or 15, was near trembling by the time I turned around to enter the bathroom. I took a steaming hot shower that lasted until the water turned icy cold. I stepped out of the shower and quickly dressed. I then grabbed my last cigarette pack and leapt out the window.

The cool spring air was a welcome escape from the antiseptic air of the hospital and I lit my last cigarette as I walked down the back roads. I wandered the streets aimlessly and did not realize that I was standing outside of Kakashi's apartment building until I had finished the cigarette. _I suppose that I need to grab some of my gear so I can train a little tomorrow._

I jumped up the side of the building until I reached what was once my bedroom window. As I reached the window and opened it, I saw that it was exactly the way I had left it over a year ago. I entered the room and made a beeline to the chest at the foot of my bed; I did not want to feel the nostalgia that was bubbling up in my stomach. In the chest I grabbed my kunai and shuriken along with some scrolls that I had sealed some of my larger weapons in my arsenal. After getting what I needed from my chest, I headed to the wardrobe across from my bed and grabbed some my training clothing. After a moment I left through the window and headed back to the hospital.

As I jumped from roof to roof and got closer to the hospital noticed that the light in my room was off. _That nurse must being covering her ass and did not say I left. At least they are starting to learn that I will eventually return because I don't want ANBU looking for me again._

I entered my room and laid my bag by on the dresser and lied down on my bed. Looking into the dark I quickly fell asleep, my dreams seeming to jump from one memory to another.

_I had just graduated and was on a team with my best friend Hana and the top graduate of our age, Itachi Uchiha. We were a weird team because we were the youngest graduates of the year, all of us barely past our seventh birthday, and even though they tried to balance out the teams and we were in the top of the class, they thought it to be better for us to be together. Our sensei was Shikyo and we were on our very first mission. Hana and I were goofing off and making up funny jutsu names to ones that we were going to invent while Itachi was a few steps behind us. We were going just outside of the village to a farm that was having some problems with animals attacking the livestock._

_The dream then jumped to the celebration following Hana's and mine promotion to Chunin. I was still healing and was walking around on crouches; Kakashi was not lying when he said I was not healed all the way. We were eating BBQ and Itachi, who was made a Chunin at the previous exams, had brought the five-year-old Sasuke along and Hana and I were fussing over him, claiming he was the cutest little kid ever. All the while, Itachi was smirking in his seat. We were all ten._

_Jumping again to the last real mission that Team Shikyo went on, Shikyo-sensei would die a week after it was completed in a freak accident. We were on an A-ranked mission to escort the son of the Fire Daimyo from the capital to the village and back. It was a fun mission; the Daimyo's son was funny. It was an uneventful mission with the fact no one got hurt or no one attacked us; but it was also the mission that got Itachi and me noticed by ANBU. We were eleven._

_The dreams suddenly took a sour turn and went to Itachi and mine's first ANBU mission when we were 12. We were on a four man squad mission to eliminate a group of rogue ninjas that were causing problems in the border towns. Things went bad and I ended up having to kill three out the eight targets; not my first kills but probably the scariest. I had to decapitate them and the blood was everywhere._

As I was about to take out the last rogue when I woke up with a start; I could not remember where I was at. I sat confused for a minute until my brain caught up. Knowing that I would not get back to sleep anytime soon, I started to get ready.

I took out the clothes I took from my room and just stared at them. They were a mesh top and black pants and my arm guards from my ANBU days. I also had my Chunin vest and the clawed gloves that became one of my favorite taijutsu assets. After I finished dressing I looked at myself in a mirror.

I almost did not recognize myself. I had lose a lot of weight in the hospital and most of my muscles were gone. My outfit hung off me, not a lot but enough for me to notice. My face was thinner and my hair hung limply down my back, its silver sheen still there but lessened.

After I finished inspecting myself, I took out my weapons and started to pack my weapon pouch. I finished this in relative ease and then took out a scroll. After unraveling it and biting my thumb, I proceeded to perform the seals. I finished and with a poof my swords appeared. They were beautiful, custom-made twin blades the length of an odachi, although build like a katana. I lifted them along with the sheath that I tied to my back.

As I finished and was debating on whether I wanted to put on my head band, the young nurse from the night before entered with a tray of food. She jumped as she opened the door and saw me in my mission clothes. I smiled at her and took the tray from her; she then turned to leave. I ate the edible parts of the food and then left out my window to the training grounds. The pre-dawn sky was fading as I made it to the memorial stone. I decided to pay my respects and stood there for a moment when I heard someone approach.

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><p>Hey thanks for reading this! And a special thanks to ObeseOrange for being the first to comment! Your Awesome<br>And all those that alerted and favorited

Comment, Favorite, and Alert this story and you too can be on my wall of fame!  
>Luvs Kai H. &amp; Co! 3<p> 


	6. Chapter 5

_Thoughts or flashbacks_

Chapter 5

I continued to face the memorial stone, absentmindedly tracing the engravings of the names of friends that I had lost. The footsteps became louder and closer, eventually stopping about ten feet from me. I slowly turned towards the unknown person until I saw who it was.

I turned to see Kotetsu. He grinned sheepishly at me as though he did not know what to say. I, as it seemed I was going to be for awhile, was the first to talk. "Hey, Kotetsu... kun."

He continued to look at me as though seeing a ghost. He finally seemed to register that I had spoken, and responded nervously, "Hey, Kai-chan… How are you?"

I smiled at him. "I am good. I am… starting to… um… start training again."

He nodded. "That's good… Well I need to get back to work before Izumo comes looking for me." He started to walk away until suddenly he seemed to remember something. He turned and said to me, more confidently, "You should come visit me at the Main Gate. That is if 'They' will let you."

I smiled at him and replied laughing at him, "I will. I don't think 'They' would really care as long as I stay in the village."

He walked away and left me with a silly smile on my face. I turned back to the stone and found Hana's name. She was the medic of our squad and was killed while trying to heal one of our comrades on the field; her death coupled with Itachi's defection left me the last member of our team left. As soon as I spotted her name, I started to talk to her.

"Hey, Hana, its funny how encounters like that can make things seem normal; it just makes me miss him so much more though. I want to forget everything that happened and be normal. I can almost feel you smacking me on the head for not running after him; and yes I know he's still crazy for me. I know that you and sensei, who probably thinks I'm a complete fool, are watching all this. I miss you guys." I then heard Kakashi's subordinates coming. "Well I need to go. Talk the gods into being nice to me today. I love you Hana, take care of everything up there and I will try my best done here."

With that I left, feeling a sense of happiness in return of this strange routine. I turned, sighing that I was out of cigarettes, as the kids came closer and I saw that the Kyuubi-child and the Uchiha were arguing while the girl tried to defend the Uchiha brat. They came up and they seemed to jump out of their skin when they saw that I was here; most likely accustomed to Kakashi's unpunctuality. I waved and smiled at them, forgetting that I was in my 'Battle-Gear'.

The demon vessel, Naruto, was the first to speak; obnoxiously asking, "Kai-sempai, what's with your clothes?"

The petal-haired girl, Sakura, smacked him on the head before I could answer; saying, "Idiot, why would you ask that?"

Naruto replied, defensively, that he was just wondering and Sakura simmered down; all the while that this was happening, the Uchiha, Sasuke, just glared at me.

I stood awkwardly for a moment trying to figure out what to say. Finally I decided to let them know what we were doing today. "Well; Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke; today we will be sparring." The group's reactions were funny; Naruto cheered and automatically challenged Sasuke, who just grunted, and Sakura groaned in frustration. I then added, to break up the confusion, "Sorry Naruto, but I already have everything planned. You all will fight against me to see who can last the longest. The rules are no jutsu; excluding shadow clones and substitutions; weapons are allowed, and the rounds will be five minutes."

As I finished and told them to prepare, I took out the clock from yesterday and started to set the times. After about fifteen minutes I untied the sword sheaths from my back. I laid them down by the memorial stone and started to walk over to the stretching Genin. "All right, Sasuke you're up first."

The Uchiha stood up. His Sharingan was activated and I tried to avoid looking straight into them. We walked to the clearing and took up my low fighting stance; ready to pounce. I motioned for him to strike first. He moved quickly and I had to move quickly to block his punch/kick combo. Gripping his leg and arm I span around and sending him flying towards a nearby tree. He hit the tree with a thud and disappeared in a puff of smoke leaving behind a pile of stones.

Using the meager tracking skills I had picked up throughout my years in ANBU, I picked up his chakra signature somewhere in a bunch of trees south of me. I then sent a group of shadow clones that were all but annihilated, 3 out of the 25 survived. The three survivors attacked Sasuke, who quickly dispatched the clones. I then jumped down on him, pinned him to the branch by sitting on him, and then, as the 5 minute mark sounded, I smirked and 'poof'-ed away.

I looked down at the Uchiha from my new position on the branch and laughed before using the Body Flicker Technique to go back to the others.

The rest of the 'sparring' went without a hitch. Naruto lasted just under five minutes, mainly due to his shadow clones. Sakura lasted only a minute before I just ended the fight with a small, seemingly harmless genjutsu of Sasuke rejecting her.

As the Genin left the training grounds, I sighed and took one of the scrolls I had packed away out and summoned one of my ninken, a dog named Haru. A large Mastiff, which was taller than I was, appeared from the smoke and eagerly started to lick my face a good three times. Dripping in drool I patted the dog as he started to lecture me.

"Hey, pup, you don't need to worry us like that. Momo was worried to death, the poor thing. And then the two pups that were given to you right before you left, Toji and Toki, were so distraught they attempted to get summoned by your brother in an attempt to find you…" Haru went on and on sounding more and more like a father, and I as the teenager I was, tuned him out. Haru had been my father's ninken and was my first summon after I signed the contract. The older dog treated me like his pups. He was also the strongest of the four ninja hounds I was given by the Dog Lords. Tuning back in to his lecture as he finished, Haru asked, "So where were you? Kakashi's troop told us you were injured, but could not say more."

I looked to the old dog and smiled weakly, "I went after Itachi. I failed."

The old dog growled a low growl that he used not in anger but in disappointment usually at my stupidity. "Why, pup?"

"He was my best friend. How could I let him leave? He would not have done what he did a whim! He hated killing," and then in a smaller voice, barely above a whisper, "I had hoped that it was all a lie…" I then broke down into tears, feeling putting his head on my shoulder to comfort me.

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><p><strong>Thanks for reading :) This was kinda a hard chapter to write so I hope you like. Yes I am moving on with the "Kai Mystery" so just bare with me for a little while longer and I'll let you on to the secret.<strong>

**and thanks to Dark universe for Commenting :)**


	7. Chapter 6

_Thoughts and flashbacks_

Chapter 6

I wiped my face on Haru's fur, not even worrying about looking weak in front of the dog. I stood up, the only signs of my weakness was the possible tear trails down my pale face. "Haru, I'm sending you back. Don't fuss, I won't disappear again. I promise."

The dog nodded, "Yes, Kai." He shifted, probably thinking of the possible snot I had left on his fur. "But know, if we don't hear from you again, I will personally come and find you."

I smiled back, "I know. I'm sure everyone will be wanting to find me as well…"

The dog nodded, and vanished in a cloud of smoke before I could release the summons myself. As the smoke cleared I took a small mirror from my pocket and made sure my face held no evidence of my tears. When I felt I looked presentable enough myself, I left the training field for the village proper.

The center of the village was a strange place compared to the outer regions where the ninja make their homes. Everyone in the Leaf, well a majority, all are required to attend the academy. In the recent years of peace though, more and more people are not advancing pass genin and going into their family trades. The merchant center spreads around the central Hokage buildings, ranging from weapons and other ninja gear to grocers and food stands and then the non-ninja wares like finer clothing and other luxuries. Flower shops seem to be stationed around the hospital and the graveyard, the remnants of a kunoichi's duties.

Making my way to the foods districts, the smell of warm sweets hit me. It's the confectionary shop, best known though for their dango. When I was younger, most people gathered here for some kind of sweets. Even the jounin Kakashi's age loved to meet here. Feeling nostalgic, I walk into the tent and order some. Probably more than what I need but honestly the hospital food is so bland, something sweet would just seemed to appealing.

It seems that most of the people who would recognise me are out training, it was just a bit before noon and normal people would have missions by midweek anyways. I just sat there, not even paying attention to what was going on. Well, not listening for words besides 'attack', 'evil', 'traitor', or my name. I guess you can call selective hearing a Hatake Gekkai Genkai. Seriously, I should start to think about carrying a book. Must be why Kakashi does, I can stare out into space for hours if left alone long enough. Next stop needs to be the bookstore.

I finish my food, giving the tea cup back to the front before leaving. The sounds of the village is engulfing with noise and activity, allowing me to stay in my head longer running on instinct and protocol. I nearly jumped when I heard a voice beside me call my name. I turned and saw Sakura, carrying a packet from one of the more popular civilian shops.

"Kai-sempai, how are you." Sakura said, smiling in a reserved manner. I wondered for a moment if my genjutsu had actually been damaging, though I shrugged that thought quickly while making a mental note not to use one like that again.

"Sakura," I returned her smile with a small quirk of my lips. "I am well, and yourself?" I tilt my head a bit, this conversation starting to throw me for a loop. _Would this child be this friendly if she knew what others know about me?_

"I'm well." Sakura replied, "I needed... I'm running a few errands." She said, like she was unsure how to speak to me. Kakashi must still think that hiding will keep people from bothering him. Such an anti-social man.

I nod, "I see. Well, I won't be keeping you for too much longer. See you tomorrow." I take a step towards the book store as Sakura says her farewell, hesitation in her voice like she had wanted to ask something. I take maybe ten steps away before I hear my name being called again.

"Kai-sempai," I hear Sakura say. "Kai-sempai, I actaully wanted to ask a question."

I had stopped at the sound of her voice and turn. "Of course, what can I do for you?"

She kicked her foot at the air, looking at the ground behind me rather than my face. "Today, during training. You didn't even try to fight me. You just used that genjutsu and ended it." She looked up, "Am I that pathetic?"

There was a real sincerity to her question and I sighed, waving my hand to a bench, "Let's talk over here." We sat at the bench, Sakura putting her packet on her lap. "You see... it wasn't that I didn't want to fight you. Well, okay, I didn't want to but I had another reason." I bit my lower lip for a second before continuing. "Sasuke and Naruto are similar in how they fight. They are both frontal attackers, Naruto with his clones and strength and Sasuke with his ninjutsu and weapons. This is how they will develop unless they want to change. For them it is set. You, however, are set. Your chakra control is superb, but you are hesitant in attacks. That was part of yesterdays exercise, something to see what you would naturally do."

"I see..." Sakura said, looking at me. "But why use genjutsu instead of something else."

"I wasn't finished." I paused. "Sasuke is safe from most genjutsu with his Sharingan, but you and Naruto aren't that lucky; but knowing how to break a genjutsu is something that ultimately is better than the Sharingan. It can keep you safe and possibly throw an enemy off enough to finish him."

Sakura nodded and said in an observing manner, "You seem to know a lot about this."

I laugh. "My genin team had two genjutsu users. Made it easier to learn how to break one when that what I was up against." My laugh died and I tried my hardest to not look disturb. _Why are you bringing them up here, Kai? _

"I see... So you wanted to see if I could break out of it?"

"Yes. I know I'm just a replacement until Kakashi is better... but sometimes an outside look helps one know what to focus on." As I said, Sakura smiled at me.

You know, it's strange. This younger generation is so young, compared to those of us born just a few years earlier. They do not know the fear of a loved one leaving. The thought that once they leave the gates, and that one time your very sight, that they could be gone forever. They can actually be children, crushes and candy. By her age I was a chunin and honestly thinking of joining ANBU. Her words just seemed add to this. "Kakashi really fights for his team, doesn't he? He was like this, incapacitated, when we were in the Land of Waves. He was on crutches for a week, training us to be prepared for when we could run into Zabuza again. And then he fought him head-on when we found him, forcing the rest us behind him..."

I nodded, Kakashi was not one to let others be in harm's way. "To Kakashi, a teammates life is worth more than anything. From what I heard, he wanted to get back to the village to get reinforcements." Honestly the man had such bad handwriting I would not be surprised if my next 'assignment' was transcribing his reports. I sweat dropped just thinking about that. "But he also doesn't like to see those weaker to be in harm's way. He must have faith in you guys though, to be putting it all out for everyone."

Sakura smiled, "Naruto and Sasuke think he is just a lazy bum... though I think Naruto now just thinks he is holding out on us. Kakashi-sensei... His face lacks any enthusiasm, but he is truly a Leaf shinobi."

Words popped into my head and I said them out loud, "What makes a shinobi is not his jutsu and weapons, but loyalty and love. To their village and their fellow shinobi." It was my own take on the words, but to me it was what truly matter.

Sakura smiled, "You sound like Kakashi-sensei, when you talk like that."

"Hai, Kakashi seems to instill that mess into all that he works with." I sigh, "Well, I got to get going... People will start looking for me and then I'd have a lot of unneeded trouble..."

Sakura looked confused and nodded, "Well, I'll see you tomorrow Sempai."

I nodded and flashed away to the rooftop. _Now, I probably should go see Hokage-sama... See what I can do to get the fuck out of that hospital room..._

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><p>Thank you to anyone who reads this... I know I disappeared for a bit... *almost 4 years is way too long*<p>

I'll try to update in about a week... working on other chapters ...


	8. Chapter 7

_Thoughts or Flashbacks_

_"_I realized the screaming. Hearing loud in my brain. That I am going straight ahead with this scar."

Chapter 7

I sat on my ledge, blowing smoke into the wind. I sighed as I remembered my visit to the Hokage. The stares were something I could deal with, the looks were nothing new to me.

_Entering the room that was the Hokage's main office, the old man was alone save for a chunin that was his assistant for the time being. It was not anyone that I recognized. His voice was speaking to me before I even fully entered the room. "Evening, Kai-chan. What can I do for you today."_

_My hand paused at the doorknob before I took to coming into the room. "Hokage-sama, I've come to talk to you.. After Kakashi is better, what do you plan for me?"_

_The old man was smoking his pipe and set it down, "Ah, a good question. What is it you think you would want to do?"_

_I was taken back by this question, though I probably should not have been. Having known the old man my whole life, his riddles were nothing new. "I don't know... What could I do. You know as well as I do, many think of me as a rogue ninja. Would anyone trust me to not leave again."_

_This though had followed me after I woke up, plaguing me like a stray that knows I have food. "Not all of the same mind. You are a strong shinobi, with a longer list of good than your bad. Many won't understand you, but you can show who you are now. First, you must show that you, yourself, know who you are before you can change what others see you as."_

"Show that I know who I am before others see me?" I scoff, "What the hell does that mean?" I say to the sky. The sky was full of fluffy clouds, a brilliant blue with birds singing to their mates. Suddenly a crow flew across the sky, laughing at me. "A-fool, A-fool."

I jump into my room as the door opened. I pause as I sense a flare of chakra as I heard the scuffing of crutches. "Yo." A familiar voice comes from the opening door. The door stops before I can see Kakashi and he says, more questioning than his lackadaisical front he usually uses. "Can I come in?"

I roll my eyes, "You already have the door open, you'd look like an idiot talking to a half closed door if you don't."

This seemed to be invitation enough as my older brother entered my hospital room. "How is my team?"

Kakashi Hatake, what would your team think of you now? Nervous to talk to a teenager, even if she is your rogue sister. "They're good. Though the girl seems to realize that she is being neglected. And the Uchiha brat needs be knocked down a few pegs."

"And nothing on Naruto?" Kakashi said, leaning on the closed door.

"Naruto... He's hyperactive, annoying, and, honestly, way too loud." I say, crossing my arms. Of course, there would be no comment on my observations. Kakashi already knows what I know before I do.

"I should be back to normal in a few days... You don't have to bother with them for much longer." I nodded, grabbing my smashed pack from my desk drawer. "That's a bad habit."

I pull out one of the white sticks, putting it in my mouth. If any of the nurses caught wind of this, I will have my head on a platter quicker than I could run. I shrug as I take a drag. "We both have a lot of those, don't we."

"Mine aren't slowly killing me." Was all Kakashi said as the fag was taken from my hand and thrown out the window. I forgot how quick he was, even at only a percentage of his full strength. "Now... Can we speak civilly?

"Sure." I shrug, sitting on my bed. This was my element, Kakashi was not going to scare me into giving away anything. "What do you need, Kakashi?"

He shrugged, "Just what to know what you plan to do... Laying in bed and smoking can't possibly be what you want to do with your life."

"How can you know that? Why would I want to trade an easy life sentence for one of pain and killing?"

"Cause I know you. You don't feel that the life of a shinobi isn't a life sentence." Kakashi countered coming a step closer.

I sigh, "So, oh wise Kakashi Hatake, the Ninja Who Copied A Thousand Jutsu, am I to do now?"

Shaking his head, Kakashi sighed back, "Get out of here, for one. You've gone soft."

_Soft in the head. _I could not reply with that one, no one, especially him could know what is going on in my head. Training with children was one thing. But entering into the shinobi world with only half of who I used to be. It was not possible. _Who am I now?_

Kakashi seemed to take my silence as an acceptance of his words, no need to let him think otherwise. "I'll leave you to think. I'm getting out of here in a few hours... Let my team know I'll be back soon, okay?" He then shuffled out.

I groaned as the door shut, throwing a pillow at it with a dud. "Show I know who I am... my ass."

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><p>Another chapter in around a week? I feel proud of myself!<p>

Actaully no... I finally got to watching Shippuden in earnest... and well, the Itachi Sasuke just started... My baby Ita-kun is gonna die... Can I cry?

Anyways, the next chapter is going to be different... Working on it now, so I should have it up before college starts again for me next week

Your patronage keeps this Authoress semi-sane.

With much thanks, H. Kai and Co.


	9. Chapter 8

_Flashbacks and thoughts_

_This chapter will be in third person, it should go back to first person next chapter..._

Chapter 8

That night Kai's dreams are a blank, though she's sure she dreamed. She remembers smiles and laughs. She is content when she wakes up, surprised to see new papers on her desk when she awakes.

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><p>Team 7 is waiting on at the training ground when she arrives, surprisingly quiet. For once, she is just being normal, not sneaking up on the genin or arriving early. "Hello." She says as she greets them.<p>

The genin are silent, though there is an air of planning about them as they smile, well Sasuke is as stoic as ever though not for being out of the loop. "Morning Kai-sempai." Sakura says, the first to speak.

"What's going on? Do I have something in my hair?" Kai says jokingly. The team is way to reserved for her liking.

Sakura takes the lead again, surprising Kai with her question. "Senpai, we were thinking. You probably know about us, knowing Kaka-sensei and all; but we know nothing about you. Can you tell something about yourself?"

"Like what?" Kai responds.

"Well, when we first met Kaka-sensei, he had us tell him our likes and dislikes, hobbies, and what not." Sakura continued, shooting a look at Naruto as he seemed to be a bit jumpy.

"All right... But where is this coming from?" Kai asked, wondering why they are seemingly suddenly interested.

"Well, we realised that we don't even know your family name or anything about you..." Sakura continued

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><p>*<em>The previous afternoon following Sakura's conversation with Kai*<em>

_Sakura was walking through the village, having given the package to her mother. She was just wandering, enjoying her second afternoon off. Suddenly, she sees Naruto coming her way._

_"Sakura-chan!" Naruto shouts,as he runs the rest of the distance between them._

_"Hello, Naruto." Sakura replied, sweatdropping at her overactive teammate._

_"What'cha doing Sakura?" Naruto asked, standing in front of her._

_"Nothing really."_

_"I see... Wanna get some ramen?" Naruto asks excitedly, though is soon deflated some from Sakura's refusal._

_The two just walk down the street silently as Sakura asks, "Naruto, what do you think of Kai-senpai?"_

_Naruto looks confused, "What do you mean?"_

_"I mean, we know nothing about her. Besides that she somehow knows Kaka-sensei and is strong."  
><em>

_Naruto nods in response. "She is strong and kinda scary. Did you notices the claws on her gloves and the sword?"_

_"Yeah." Recalling her earlier conversation with the older teen, "And I just saw her and she said she was on a team with genjutsu users..."_

_"Really? You talked to her?" Sakura nods. "So she knows genjutsu types... Is that what she did to you during the sparing? You just kinda stared into space and then screamed._

_Sakura seemed to remember the sparing session and nodded. "We need to learn more about her... Just so we aren't in the dark you know."_

_Naruto punched the air. "Hai! It'll be like a convert mission!"_

_Sakura shook her head, "No, you idiot. We first should just ask her... Maybe she just didn't realise that she jumped into training with only telling us her name."_

_Naruto deflated again. "That's probably better... But if we don't learn enough, we can do some snooping, right?"_

_Sakura nodded, acquiescing to Naruto. "Hai, let's find Sasuke-kun and let him know!" She started down the road, where she knew Sasuke's apartment was._

_Naruto sighed, mumbling. "Why do we have to let that Teme know..."_

* * *

><p>Kai looked at their faces, they seemed to really want to know this information. "Well, my family name is not something I like to share. Though maybe you'll figure it out, eh?" The genin's faces fell, but Kai continued before she continued. "Likes... Well, I like those honey milk hard candies and looking at the sky from my ledge, though that's probably my only hobby right now. And dislikes... Let's see..." She paused again, thinking. There was so many things she disliked right now. Being in her room, the hospital, that stupid nurse who continually refuses to refill her water cup, the stares and whispers... "I dislike when my older brother throws my cigarettes out the window or when he lectures me."<p>

The team was silent. She watched them, their thoughts reading on their faces. Well, again expect for the stoic Uchiha. Naruto was the first to speak, "You have an older brother? Who is he? Is he a ninja too?"

Kai laughs, the sound is nice and light, the team had only heard her short cropped laugh. This one feels the air and Kai stops, a smile small on her lips. "But that would be telling, wouldn't Naruto-kun? Did I not say I wasn't telling my family name? But, yes, he is a ninja."

Sakura hits Naruto over the head, "Idiot..." She sighs and smiles at Kai, "Thank you, Senpai."

"You're welcome Sakura." Kai turned and walked a few feet away, clearing herself of the emotions she had not felt in ages. _Now I really wish I knew what my dream was. Why am I so chipper? _She turned and looked at the kids, "Now, today we're going outside the village. I have some ninken that need exercise and you three are at my disposal..."

"What's that supposed to mean, 'at you disposal'." Sasuke finally spoke up.

Kai sighed and said under her breath, "So rude, Sasuke..." And then she said loud enough for them to hear. "I mean, this will be a training exercise in which each of us will be pair with one of my ninja hounds and need to find a list of items." She pulled out some papers from her pocket. "They are just some things you can find in the forest, flowers and plants, nothing special. The first one to find all 5, excluding myself, can choose where I treat you to lunch to."

The teams' mouth fell collectively.

_'Kakashi obviously doesn't do much with them outside of training, does he?'_ Kai thought, walking towards the training ground exit. "Come on, or I'll take back my offer." She called over her shoulder.

The team stayed back a bit, whispering among themselves.

"She didn't give much away, did she?" Sakura whispered.

"No... Just that she doesn't do much. Who's hobby is looking at the sky." Naruto replied, "Besides that lazy bastard Shikamaru."

"But she did say she had an older brother. It might be easier to find out more if we can find him." Sakura said.

"But she didn't say who he is." Naruto replied and was cut off by Sasuke before he could say anything else.

"Yes, but we know he is alive. We can ask around about her. There's not many young jonin in the village. And fewer females." Sasuke explained, "We could ask the other team's senseis and if that is fruitless, the Hokage might give something." Sasuke watched the older teen's back, '_Who is she?'_

* * *

><p><em>Let me know what you think... This Third POV was something I felt needed to be done to further the story... Not sure how much longer this will be, but the plot should be coming together in the next few chapters. And Kai's mood? I don't know, but have you ever had the supposedly dreamless night that you woke up relaxed and just feeling happy? Well, I'm in that mood... <em>

_Thanks for reading, though a review would be nice just to know what y'all's thoughts are..._

_two updates in two days... This is not normal and I don't promise anymore this week... After next week, it'll probably fall into a every other week basis, I just have free time right now and not much else I want to do..._

_Thanks again,  
>H. Kai &amp; Co.<em>


	10. Chapter 9

We walked to the front gate, the three genin whispering behind me. I should have known that they would get curious about me, who wouldn't be wondering about me? I'm sure they think I'm insane, I really need to stop outright treating them like subordinates. Though today they will be helping me, in the guise of their own training.

As we made it to the gate, two familiar chakra flares alerted me to who was on duty. Usually, for what I was having the children do, I would have used the backwoods still in the village's close barrier. Something was bothering me though and I felt the need to see one of the few people who were not overly critically of me. While my encounter with Kotetsu was still fresh in mind, this encounter was more calculated than for personal needs.

"Hello!" I heard Izumo yell towards us, probably more for the sight of people coming than realising who was coming.

As we came closer, I hear a small surprised sound come when he realized just _who _was coming. "Yo, Kai-chan! Are you are a mission!? I knew I'd be seeing you out and about after you got back on your feet." I heard Kotetsu yell out.

I scratched the back of my head, Kotetsu was always so loud. "Maa, maa... not yet, still village bound. Just taking Kaka-nii's team out for a little training exercise." The kids were far enough back that I doubted they heard my slip of calling Kakashi by my pet name.

"That's what Hokage-sama has you doing?" Kotetsu laughed. "That orange one is a handful... Though since he became a genin, we've been stuck here more and more. Though the Honorable-Grandson is starting to become a pest as well."

The three genin finally caught up, looking at me like I've gone another head. Guess I was being more lively now than they have seen the last few days. "Well, I'm sure you'll get something fun soon enough, Ko-kun." I looked around the silly Chunin to his partner, "I'm sure you enjoy the quiet, right Zu-kun? Keeping this one quiet is a chore in itself, neh."

Izumo, like everyone else, did not seem to know how to approach speaking to me. He nodded though, taking a queue from his partner. "He hasn't changed from before you left. Still addicted to that syrup."

I shook my head in false shame. "And that is why you're still a chunin, Ko-kun."

Kotetsu pouted, though our exchange was interrupted by three loud three clearings. "Well.. Anyways, I have this pass from Hakage-sama." I pulled a paper with the Hokage seal from my kunai pouch and handed it to Izumo, who examined the paper.

"Well, this is in order. You have a five kilometer radius from the from gate, still inside the outer barrier." Izumo stated, reading the orders.

"Hai." I nodded, "We should only be out from about two to three hours. I'll send a message if that changes."

We started to the gate, "Have fun Kai-chan!" Kotetsu called out as we left the village.

The moment I felt the slight tinge from the inner barrier, it was as if a weight was release and I was able to finally breathe. I smiled, looking at the three. They seem perplexed, probably from that display with the gate guards.

Kotetsu and Izumo were classmates from the academy. We did not have many classes, but we graduated around the same time. Funnily enough, we did not really interact until Kotetsu was placed with me and Hana in our final Chunin exam. He was older, yes, but we made a good team. We worked together as chunin, Izumo as well. It was not until close to the end that I realized that I could possibly having feelings for Kotetsu, which I shamefully used for my own selfish means. I had thought some kind of relationship would fill the parts that had shattered of me. I knew I had hurt him when I left; but he probably does not know why I left, my drive to severe all my ties here. I did not want him to learn, it was one of the few things not truly tainted by him.

I did a few hand-signs after biting my thumb to draw blood. _How much blood must we waster? Even outside of batles and missions, some much is wasted, so many die. _I press my hand to the ground, seals forming from my blood in a circle from my hand. _My blood for your services, my services for your blood. _Four hounds apperaed, the giant mastiff, Haru; a black and white speckled beagle named Momo, my first official summon that I trained; and twin black labs, Toki my worrier and toji my hopeful one. They were my youngest pups, I had only had them for around a year when I last summoned them.

The pups looked at me, Haru standing stoically as the other three tackled me to the ground. "Kai! Kai! Where have you been?" Momo questioned, the other two barking. I never got around to teaching the twins much human speech, though I was sure Haru worked with them, it just was not in a dog's nature to speak in another creature's tongue without training from their handler.

I pushed them off of me, crouching to pet hold them down. "Calm down!" I commanded, my authority as their 'master' settling them. "We'll talk later." There was a whine from the twins, who struggled against my chokehold on them.

I stood, looking at the three genin, the dogs being rounded up by Haru. "Today we'll be gathering some herbs for the medical corps." I pulled three pieces of paper from my pocket, unfolding them slowly. "All these herbs can be found quickly, though the dogs can only sniff them out when close." I looked at my three pups, they had gotten so big and matured in my absence. "Momo, Toki, Toji, I want you to meet Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke. Pick whichever you want to work with." I smiled, raising my hand for them to move out.

Momo sniffed over to Naruto, who stiffened as she jumped up to his knee. "You smell like chicken!" She was such a weird little thing, the smallest of my ninken, though the elder of my personal trained and like a leader to Toki and Toji.

"She wants you to pet her brat." I said to Naruto, who looked at me with a slight glare. "Introduce yourself, she won't bite unless your hostile or I give the command." I looked at the other two as Naruto started to pet Momo behind the ear. Toki was nosing Sasuke's hand, trying to get him to pet him with a small whine in her throat. Toji was on Sakura's shoulders, licking the frightened girls face.

Laughing I called them all to attention. "Now that you lot has become acquainted, here is your individaul assignments." I walked to each, handing them a slip of paper each. "Each list is localized to a particular section of our allotted radius. Go further out and you will be tied to a stump till I deem you learned your lesson. ANBU has more important things to do than track brats a few feet from the barrier. The dogs will know where you can't go, follow them." I looked at Sasuke and Sakura, "Toji! Toki!" The dogs looked up as their names were called. "I know it's been a while, but try and talk to the kiddos, kay. Now, Sakura and Sasuke, Toki and Toji aren't very adept to speaking to humans. They can understand you, just be open to understanding." I looked at Naruto and Momo, who was sitting at Naruto's left side. "Naruto, Momo is fully articulate. Listen to her, she's small but strong. Momo, don't go chasing squirrels or birds."

The three genin nodded, Naruto asking, "What about you Senpai? And who's the big dog."

Haur grumped, looking at the boy. "My name is Haru, pup. Listen to your captain and don't question."

"Now, now Haru, be nice. I'll be doing another assignment with Haru. Now, it shouldn't take long for you to get the items; when you have them, come back here." I said, pulled some wire and kunai out. I tied the wire to the kunai and threw it over a tree limb and caught it before stabbing it into the ground. I tied a blue ribbon around the wire about chest high. "We'll meet back here. The first one to return, take the ribbon so I know who made it back. And don't try and lie, the dogs will let me know the truth. Now scatter."

The teams left, leaving me with Haru. "Now what are we doing pup?" Haru growled out, though more from his normal tone than anger.

"I have some errands to run. You can either stay here or follow." I smiled.

"Are you going to get yourself in more trouble?"

"No, just getting some food for the kids and pups."

His head lifted up, "I'll stay here and watch the ribbon. Pick up some treats for the pups, they may not seem so but they are pretty sore that you left them so long." Haru laid down in a sunny spot by my kunai marker.

"You just want some of those Inuzuka treats." I laughed. Haru growled low and laided his head on his front paws. "Fine, I get some."

* * *

><p>I made my way back to the front gate, Izumo and Kotetsu looking at a merchant's pass as I silently came up. The merchant was leaving as I entered. "Back so soon? Do we need to send a party to find the kids?" Kotetsu joked, though it hit a chord.<p>

I smiled, shaking my head from the unwelcome feeling in my chest. "No, they're looking for herbs. I'm going to make a picnic basket for them."

Kotetsu laughed, slapping Izumo on the back. "You hear that Zuzu? Kai-chan, Ms. Rough-and-tumble herself is being motherly and getting kiddos lunch."

I glared at my once former teammate, crossing my arms. "I guess I won't pick up something for you two. Sorry Zu, Kotetsu just lost you a store bento box."

Kotetsu pouted, "Don't punish us, Kai! I'm sorry... Just nice to see that scratchy face of yours."

"First you question my femininity, and now you're insulting my face? Really, who taught you your manners?"

Izumo stood up, putting his hand over Kotetsu's mouth. "Kai-chan, I'm sorry for his mouth. Food would be nice, though I wouldn't blame you for forgetting this numb-skull."

I smiled, "Hai, I'll grab something for you." I walked off, waving off the grunts from the mouth-covered chunin.

I walked to the civilian sector, looking for an address I had hastily written this morning. My pulse raced slightly as I neared the townhouse. Knocking on the door, I gulped before it opened, revealing a blonde woman with triangular peak on her forehead. "How may I help you?" She asked, smiling in the wide open door.

"Ma'am, hello. My name is Hatake Kai, I'm currently overseeing the training of your daughter..."

I was cut off with a squeal and found myself being pulled into the house. The air had the aroma of flower blossoms, making the sitting room in which I was unceremonially dumped into. There was the sound of cups being gathered and footsteps from the upstairs. The house was a standard civilian townhouse, the sitting room and kitchen on the first floor, while the second held anywhere from two to four bedrooms. I looked at the small circular window that let light in, wondering if I could escape when the woman re-entered, a fuchsia haired man with petaled styled hair.

"Hello Hatake-san." The woman greeted me, setting a tea service on the coffee table. "What do with owe this honor?"

I smiled, "Haruno-san and Haruno-san, this is too much. I'm just here to ask what foods Sakura likes... It's just Kai." My voice was low, uncertain in this unfamiliar family room, I've never had this.

Sakura's mother shook her head, pouring some tea. "Mebuki, Kai-chan." She set the tea in front of me. She poured tea for herself and her husband, both of the sitting on the other side of the cooffee table from me. "Nothing is too much for those teaching our daughter. We've tried having your brother over for dinner, but the he never seems to be found."

I laughed, "Kakashi is a reserved man. Don't take offense."

Her husband set his tea down. "I was surprised when Hokage-sama asked for our permission for you to work with Sakura while Hatake-san is in the hospital, though I did not see any reason against it. He is well, I hope, Hatake-san."

"Yes, he got out yesterday. He should be back with the team by Monday." I bit my bottom lip before continuing. "Thank you for your permission." I bowed my head.

"No, need to be so formal!" Sakura's father boomed, "You are the White Flower of Konoha, it is an honor to have you work with our daughter. Particularly with your absence from active duty." There was a undertone to his voice, making me wonder what he knew. Doing damage control probably should be my next thing on my To-Do List.

I smiled, hiding behind my teacup for a moment. I set it down, replying, "Thank you for your confidence. Like I said earlier, I was wondering what foods Sakura likes. I planning to do a picnic when the team is done with their training exercise, and I realized I did not know what Sakura would eat."

Mebuki smiled, "That's a nice thing to do." She stood up, "I actually just made some dumplings, they're Sakura's favorites. There's more than enough for you and the rest of her team."

"You don't have to, Haruno-san."

"No, no. I want to. Sakura is so closed off about the team since they came back. Though she came home yesterday from an errand with some light." Mebuki smiled, "She said she talked to you. She may not seem to be, but our flower is a bit shy about things."

_Probably more abrasive about your loud-mouths_ I thought slightly bitterly. Why were parents so different. "She's a good kid, she has a lot of potential."

A clock chimed in the background and I stood, "Sorry to run, but I should probably get back before they realize I left." I started to leave the room with their acknowledgement, I turned at the entry way. "I have one final request. It may seem weird, but if Sakura asks about anything personal pertaining to me, who my brother is or my family name. It's nothing officially being ordered... I just like not having to worry about what they think of me."

I knew I let some vulnerability slip, but it seemed to work with parents. _Wonder what it would be like if father and mother had lived. _"Of course, I understand." Former genin, like the rest of their neighbors. Military trained into their core even if they try and deny its presence.

I bowed before leaving the townhouse, thanking the couple.

* * *

><p>Lot longer than I thought... Almost twice the normal length of others :D<p>

Anyways, let me know what you think! I'm watching Agent Carter, love Dominic Cooper... STAN LEE!

Lots of Love and Admiration,  
>H. Kai &amp; Co.<p> 


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